Abbottabad lawyers rise against assistant commissioner

Accuse AC of intervening with construction of approved filtration plant through use of force

ABBOTABAD:

The District Bar Association (DBA), Abbottabad, will organise a lawyers' convention for the entire Hazara region next week to expand its protest against the assistant commissioner (AC). The association has announced that it will pursue the matter through legal and constitutional forums and will not compromise on what it described as the official's unlawful conduct.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, DBA President Imran Younis Khan Tanoli and Secretary Asad Jadoon were accompanied by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council members Syed Faisal Shah and Muhammad Ali Jadoon, as well as other office-bearers of the association.

The lawyers alleged that the confrontation with the AC stemmed from his intervention in the construction of a water filtration plant being installed at the Katchery under a project initiated by the Peshawar High Court.

Bar Secretary Asad Jadoon alleged that instead of maintaining law and order, the assistant commissioner had contributed to its deterioration by allegedly encouraging or mobilising government employees against lawyers and the judiciary.

In correspondence with the provincial authorities, the DBA alleged that following the September 1 confrontation, revenue officials staged a demonstration against the judiciary and lawyers after allegedly being directed to do so by the assistant commissioner.

The Bar further alleged that when lawyers later held a peaceful procession, some revenue officials and other individuals gathered near the New Tehsil Building and pelted stones at the procession, injuring the Bar secretary and other lawyers.

Bar leadership reiterated that its protest would continue and said all available legal options would be pursued against the official and his alleged associates.

They said they had decided to approach the Sessions Court under Section 22-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure against Assistant Commissioner Afrasiyab Zubair and his alleged associates over the alleged use of force, intimidation and injuries to judiciary and Bar employees during the demolition of a water filtration plant at the district courts.

Water filtration plant destroyed

Earlier, in correspondence submitted by the DBA to the Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Commissioner Hazara, the association said that Rs2 million had been allocated for the clean drinking water facility and entrusted to the District and Sessions Judge Abbottabad for execution after completion of the required procurement and codal formalities.

The Bar said construction began in July and that the grey structure was completed on August 13. It alleged that no objection or notice was issued by the assistant commissioner's office during the construction period, although the office was situated immediately behind the site.

According to the DBA, the dispute escalated on September 1st when the assistant commissioner arrived at the construction site accompanied by several individuals and allegedly stopped the work before part of the structure was demolished.

The Bar alleged that a Sessions Court employee who attempted to explain the judicial origin of the project was assaulted, while lawyers who reached the site to intervene were allegedly threatened and intimidated.

The association maintains that CCTV footage, photographs and other material are available to substantiate its allegations. It has also submitted copies of police complaints relating to the alleged assault, intimidation and subsequent stone-pelting incident.